Ripples
by notmagnificent
Summary: 'Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow...' Brennan reflects on the past ten years. Songfic: Please Forgive Me - David Gray


**A/N: This is kind of an odd format. The story is written in Brennan's perspective, but the song is in Booth's, as if he were the one saying the lyrics.**

**The song is Please Forgive Me by David Gray. I highly suggest you listen to it.**

I've gotten better at this. I really have. Angela doesn't need to bring me to his grave anymore, and I can even talk to him if nobody is standing around watching.

Today is one of those rare occasions where it's so quiet I can almost hear him speak to me.

Huh. Ten years ago I would have shot myself in the foot for thinking something like that.

He really has gotten to me, hasn't he?

"Hey, Booth." I don't call him by his first name or any odd pet names that I secretly hate. I think he would have wanted me to talk to him like he was still here.

"I found our old photo album today." I smiled wistfully at the marble headstone. "We took some really weird pictures, didn't we?" I laughed at myself and could almost hear him chuckling nostalgically. "I even found the one of us on our first date. Remember that, when Angela snuck up on us and took shots of us half-naked in my apartment?"

The ghost of his lips on my skin tickled my lips and neck.

"I found our wedding photos, too. I don't think I've ever looked happier." A pause, then, "Nor do I think I've looked worse than in the pictures of me in the hospital after Jacob came."

She could hear his rough voice arguing. _You were glowing, Bones. Nobody gives a rat's ass what your hair looks like when you've got a smile like that._

She smiled briefly, but it faded quickly as the memories of the hospital grew stronger.

"You know what I hate?"

When the marble refused to answer, she whispered, "I'd almost forgotten what you looked like with hair. The cancer made you look like hell."

_Well then thank God you found the photo album._

The corners of her lips turned up. "Yeah."

"Thank God."

**Please forgive me if I act a little strange  
For I know not what I do  
Feels like lightning running through my veins  
Every time I look at you**

"_Uh, Bones, you got a sec?"_

"_Not now. Lecture in 20 minutes."_

"_It's kind of important."_

_I continued gathering my things without a passing glance._

"_Well, if it's such a pressing issue, just tell me now."_

"_Well, Bones, it's…"_

_I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed for the coat tree._

"_Throw it out already."_

"_Spit it out, Bones."_

"_Whatever. Are you going to tell me?"_

_I paused at the door, waiting for him to respond._

"_I have to leave, Booth."_

"_Will you go out with me tonight?"_

**Help me out here, all my words are falling short  
And there's so much I want to say  
Want to tell you just how good it feels  
When you look at me that way**

"_Hey, Bones."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_You should marry me."_

_I looked up at him sharply._

"_What?"_

_He shrugged._

"_I think you might like it, if you'd give it a try."_

_My gaze fell upon the reflecting pool just below the great Washington Monument, and our feet dipped in the cool water._

"_Okay."_

**Throw a stone and watch the ripples flow  
Moving out across the bay  
Like a stone I fall into your eyes  
Deep into that mystery  
Deep into some mystery**

"_He's got your eyes."_

"_He does, doesn't he?"_

"_That's what I said, Booth."_

"_Ha ha."_

_His finger touched to the nose of our child. Little Jacob Gregory Booth smiled softly, then pulled his father's finger to eye-level for closer examination._

"_Aw, he's already a squint."_

_I smiled proudly._

"_Our little squint."_

_Booth looked back at me and pressed a tender kiss to my lips._

"_Yeah."_

**I got half a mind to scream out loud  
I got half a mind to die  
So I won't ever have to lose you, girl  
Won't ever have to say goodbye**

"_Cancer sucks, Bones."_

_I smiled grimly._

"_Yeah, it does."_

"_Hope it never happens to you."_

_The corners of my lips flicked up in spite of the situation. He was so out of it._

"_I'll try not to catch it."_

_He smiled sleepily. The morphine would have him out like a light soon._

"_Good," he muttered. "Good."_

_Silence filled the room, minus the beeping machines._

"_Hey, Bones."_

"_Yes?"_

"_I love you."_

_Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes._

"_I love you too."_

**Please review! :D**


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